Call to Action: Period Poverty and Access to Menstrual Products
By: Caitlyn Roden
***Although linked studies, resources, and quotations use gendered language — such as “women” or “girls” — when discussing period poverty and menstruation, for the purpose of inclusivity and recognizing diversity, I will refer to those who may experience period poverty as “individuals who menstruate,” “menstruators,” or “people with uteruses.” Not all women menstruate or have a uterus, and not all menstruators are women.***
“I had a stain and thought maybe I had hurt myself and didn’t notice,” said Trinitas, a woman from Malawi, Africa reflecting on her first period at the age of 12. She continued, “No teacher bothered to talk to me or explain how to manage it. I layered about 3 pieces of a black cotton t-shirt to create a pad. It was very comfortable but one day, it fell off. It was a horrible experience. My teacher sent me home, and I didn’t go to school for the next 2 days.”
Unfortunately, experiences like that of Trinitas are not rare in many countries and cultures. Around the world, people with uteruses suffer physically, mentally, and socially because of lack of access to menstrual products. These people experience what is known as “period poverty.”
Menstrual Hygiene is a basic human right. Period.
Not only is this issue impacting people in countries like Africa and India, where documentaries have been made on the experiences of women in highly patriarchal societies, but menstrual product accessibility is lacking in the United States too. A survey of low-income women in a large U.S. city found that nearly two-thirds couldn’t afford menstrual hygiene products such as tampons or pads during the previous year. More than one in five women said they had this problem every month. In the US, students, low-income and homeless women and girls, transgender and nonbinary individuals, and those who are currently imprisoned struggle with period poverty. A recent study conducted by Always, a leading menstrual product brand, revealed that since the COVID-19 pandemic, 1 in 3 young people feel less confident because they’ve missed after school activities because of their period and 1 out of 3 parents are worried about their ongoing ability to afford period products.
So, What Is Period Poverty? Who Experiences it? and Why Does it Happen?
Period poverty is defined as “the lack of access to sanitary products, menstrual hygiene education, toilets, hand washing facilities, and/or, waste management.” It is important to note that period poverty is not just being unable to access sanitary products, but often also having a poor knowledge of menstruation due to the lack of menstrual education and the taboo nature of periods in many cultures.
All individuals who menstruate can experience period poverty. Some individuals are more likely to experience period poverty than others. Menstruators in low-income regions, people in more rural settings as opposed to urban, and those who are poor or of lower socioeconomic class are more likely to experience period poverty because they also likely experience other forms of poverty and may be unable to afford or access menstrual products. Others who may be more likely to experience period poverty are people with disabilities, those impacted by natural disasters, patriarchal societies with little education on menstruation, pregnancy, and the female anatomy, and people who bleed in regions with period stigma due to culture or religion.
Why does period poverty happen? In summary — patriarchy — but more widely noted causes are; poverty, lack of education & stigmatization. Poverty and lack of access to education or products often go together. On the surface, the reason period poverty occurs is because of individual’s financial inability to afford menstrual products. But, when researching deeper into why period poverty exists, you’ll find that more likely causes are lack of access to sanitary products, lack of education on menstruation, and the stigmatization of menstruation around the world. When people lack education on menstruation, they can’t understand what is happening to their bodies and may be frightened or feel ashamed of their bleeding. Those who do not bleed might make false assumptions about those who do. This creates a stigma towards menstruation, and cultures begin to treat it as a taboo topic because of the lack of accurate knowledge and teachings. This contributes further to people’s inability to access and afford menstrual products to manage their bleeding.
History of Period Poverty — Roots in Patriarchy
Menstruation stigma is as old as patriarchy itself. We as menstruators are routinely invalidated, emotionally and physically, due to society’s view of menstruation. Men have historically categorized menstruation as gross, shameful, unsanitary, and unholy. In many rural areas of India and Africa, the topics of menstruation and periods are taboo. There are many myths that have become a part of certain religions like Hinduism and cultures in India which include:
- Menstruation is still considered to be dirty and impure
- Women should be prohibited from participating in normal life while menstruating
- Menstruating women are unhygienic and unclean and hence the food they prepare or handle can get contaminated
- And menstrual blood is believed to be dangerous, and a malevolent person can do harm to a menstruating woman or girl by using black magic.
In Africa, many regions are patriarchal, and marriage is not an option once girls have reached “menarche” or menstruation. There is a lack of well-informed education, and girls get insights from their family members and peers which are often incorrect. Since most of the time males are in charge of resource allocation, sanitary products are not created or discussed, so in rural western Kenya, 1 in 10 adolescents without access to sanitary pads also had no access to old cloth, mattress pieces, tissue or alternatives.
These are not issues unique to developing countries. In the US, male social and political control has led to little to no menstrual health access or education, and thus, menstruators start to believe the stigmas the patriarchy has created; discreetly carrying a tampon to the bathroom, using anything available to absorb their blood, and feeling shameful and impure when bleeding. The US government has made money off of making periods a taboo topic. Currently 35 states in the US view tampons and pads as “luxury goods” and impose sales tax, also known as the “tampon tax,” on menstrual hygiene products. Conversely, groceries and medication are considered health necessities and are tax-exempt in most states, as well as being able to be purchased with food stamps, Medicaid, or health insurance. Period products should be, too.
“This is not a luxury,” said Anne Sebert Kuhlmann, an associate professor in the College for Public Health and Social Justice at St. Louis University. “It’s a need. It affects a woman’s sense of self, her sense of dignity and her ability to participate in life.”
Why You Should Care
A lot of people are unaware that period poverty exists because it is not an issue that impacts them, but every person should understand the consequences of period poverty because it impacts underrepresented and oppressed populations.
You should care about period poverty because of its harmful consequences:
- People who lack access to safe and clean ways to manage their periods experience educational disadvantage by missing weeks of school, or dropping out altogether
- Unclean and unsafe management of periods can cause illness and infection, and people resort to the use of cloth, wool, ash, mud, or even leaves and other materials to maintain bleeding
- No access to private toilets and products leads to increased risk of rape during menstruation
- Mental and emotional trauma can occur due to some culture’s restriction of activities and socialization during menstruation, and in some cases, increased child marriage and child brides
“If you walked into a bathroom and there was no toilet paper, you’d be pissed,” says Nadya Okamoto. “But periods are just as natural as going to the bathroom. In men’s restrooms, for cis-gendered men, all of their natural needs (and more) are taken care of in public restrooms — from paper towels and soap and toilet paper to urinal cakes. Meanwhile, for menstruators, 92 percent of the time, there are no period products in the bathroom.” And if they are available, you have to pay for them.
Period poverty has many consequences for individuals who menstruate, especially young women and people who bleed who are just beginning to discover their bodies and navigate their first menstrual cycles. Some of these consequences involve mental health issues, missed school and education, public shame, and shunning from cultural or religious practices. You should care about period poverty because menstruators, some of whom are able to give life, grow, and prevent some diseases as a result of their periods, should be able to bleed without shame. Bleeding is a normal and healthy part of life for nearly half of the world population, but still, it remains highly stigmatized.
“Menstruators should feel proud and confident in their ability to thrive within their communities”
Menstruation Education: Here’s what we can do NOW to fight for Period Equity
1. Educate Yourself.
The first step is to normalize menstruation and destroy taboos around the natural process. Research period poverty in your country and others, why it occurs, and why you need to care.
In a powerful TED Talk, Amika George discusses period poverty and what we can do to advocate for our right to menstrual hygiene access:
Period Poverty : Breaking The Silence | Amika George | TEDxCoventGardenWomen — YouTube
2. Contact your government and demand period equity.
Policy must be enforced to make menstrual products, sanitation and hygiene easily accessible. By contacting your government, you can ask them to raise awareness or take action. There are many ways to contact your government, including writing letters, sending emails, or lobbying your local government. If you live in a state where the pink tax exists, demand change from your governor. Contacting elected officials is easy with this website:
You can also attend protests and rallies centered around the feminist movement, period equity, and fighting against the pink tax. Activists and advocates are demanding that governments prioritize menstrual equity policy, but historically politicians have perpetuated negative stigmas associated with periods. People have power, and when menstruators and non-menstruators come together to rally for menstrual product access, governments will be forced to take action.
3. Donate money or products
Look up period poverty charities. There are many charities that are working hard to put an end to period poverty. Some charities ask for money, while others ask for donations of menstrual products. Make sure the organization is a non-profit and supports the end of period poverty. Below are some well known period poverty charities supporting menstruators:
Get Involved — Helping Women Period
Fight Period Poverty | What can you do?
A platform for your period (hashtaghappyperiod.org)
Homepage — I Support The Girls
Feminine Hygiene | United States | Girls Helping Girls. Period. (girlshelpinggirlsperiod.org)
If you prefer to donate products and not money, you can donate products to a local food bank or school, and bring pads, tampons, or a more sustainable and long lasting option — menstrual cups — to homeless shelters in your area. People in poverty often cannot afford menstrual products, and most shelters rely on donations. If you are a menstruator, consider purchasing a menstrual cup from organizations like https://www.fightperiodpoverty.org/ that will donate a cup for every one purchased to charities in sub-Saharan Africa.
Some individuals have begun leaving packages of sanitary products in public restrooms for people to take and use. You can also volunteer at a hygiene bank near you!
4. Break the Stigma
Periods are not gross, shameful, or impure. Nearly half of the world population are menstruators, and the other half know someone who is one, so end the silence on menstruation and break negative stigmas! Have conversations with other menstruators and non-menstruators in your life about why period talk is taboo, and discuss issues of patriarchy and health.
Want to Learn More? Here Are Some More Educational Resources:
-Book: Periods Gone Public, by Jennifer Weiss-Wolf
-Global Citizen has a great overview of period poverty and its impacts: Period Poverty: Everything You Need to Know (globalcitizen.org)
-Why Period Poverty, Stigma, and the Menstrual Movement Matter | Shape
-How to educate yourself and others: Period.org | Education (period-action.org)
If you are experiencing poverty, find resources for free menstrual products in your area such as food banks, homeless shelters, and Planned Parenthood and similar organizations. Many places give out pads and tampons on request. You can also weigh the pros and cons to purchasing a menstrual cup, which can be more expensive than a box of tampons, but is reusable and can last years.
